During the normal discharge of particulate material from a bottom discharge chute or nozzle of a hopper, there frequently results severe vibration and large impact loading at random times during the discharge cycle. The impact loading and vibration result from cavitation, followed by the abrupt filling of voids or holes in the particulate mass in the hopper. Cavitation is caused primarily from the non-homogeneous readjustment of the particulate mass in the hopper, during, for example, discharge through the bottom discharge nozzle. Thus, even though particulate material is removed from the bottom or other interior location of the particulate mass, the remainder of the mass does not immediately fill the voids that are thereby created in the interior portion. Then later, sudden filling of the thus created interior voids results in vibration and impact loading. Vibration and impact loading can generate substantial forces and may, in some instances, damage the hopper and associated equipment.
It is therefore a principle object of this invention to provide a method of discharging particulate material from a hopper which significantly reduces or eliminates the frequent high impact loading and vibration normally associated with the discharge of particulate material from a hopper. Other objects of the invention include providing a method which can be adapted to either new or existing hoppers of substantially any size or configuration. A further object of the invention is to provide a method which is simple to implement, which is reliable, which does not require expensive equipment or redesign, and which requires little or no maintenance.